The Secret
by Tripenguinman
Summary: Skipper has a horrible secret and Marlene finds out. Will their love survive?
1. Chapter 1

THE SECRET

CHAPTER ONE

Marlene was waking up from a normal day. Not much happened at the zoo. People came, they watched you, and they left. But today was a little different. For her and a certain someone, it was a special day. Skipper's birthday. They planned to go out and spend the evening together around New York. She hopped out of bed and quickly ate a quick breakfast. Once she finished, she headed over to the penguin habitat, when she saw Skipper, sneaking toward the habitat. She was about to call out to him, when she saw the way he looked. He had cuts all over him. A bandage was over one eye and he was bleeding horribly. She also noticed a limp in his step.

What had he been doing? She wondered. She decided to hang back until he got in the fishbowl entrance. He slowly eased in, like he was trying to sneak in and quietly pulled the fishbowl back. She hopped over the walls and into the water. She noticed that there were puffs of blood in the water where Skipper had been, and as she neared the entrance, she saw bloody footprints that confirmed that he was limping. She moved the fishbowl aside and looked in. Skipper had apparently been caught in the act of sneaking in. The other team members were standing around with their flippers on their hips. Skipper looked uncomfortable and not just because all the injuries he had. She decided to see how it would play out.

"Skipper?" said Kowalski with suspicion. "Why are you so badly beaten?"

Skipper hesitated.

"Um- why do you ask?" he said nervously.

"Skipper really!" said Kowalski "What have you been doing?"

"Um- I was uh-…" she knew Skipper was trying to come up with a good lie. "Um- patrol."

"Were you in a fight?" Private asked

"No- no, just patrol." he said uncertainly.

"Okay," said Kowalski "Anything happen?"

"Well I was- uh," he rambled "No, no. Just regular patrol duty."

"Even though it was my night to patrol?" Kowalski pressed on.

Skipper gulped. He was sweating with anxiety.

"W-was it?" he finally said shakily

Kowalski nodded.

"I- uh forgot."

Kowalski looked skeptical and then finally decided to seduce the information out of Skipper some other way.

"What happened to your eye?" he asked

"I- uh tripped on the uh- concrete stairs."

"Oh, and I suppose that's where the cuts are from to?"

"Uh-, yea."

"Funny," said Kowalski "If you** had** fallen on the stairs, your body would have scraps. Now what really happened?"

Skipper sighed, ready to tell the truth. _You never were a good liar._ Marlene thought.

"I- I have to tell you later." said Skipper

There was now a puddle of blood at his feet.

"I have to treat my wounds first."

"We'll wait." Kowalski

Skipper left. Marlene waited to see what horrible thing Skipper might have done. Her stomach tightened.


	2. Chapter 2

THE SECRET

CHAPTER TWO

Skipper waddled back, bandaged up and limping worse now. He turned and looked at the other penguins. They waited patiently. A look of anxiety formed on Skipper's face.

"I can't lie to you men," he began "That what I did wasn't right and-…"

"Stop," Kowalski interrupted "Just tell us what you did."

"Well, I suppose I have to start from the beginning. When I was a small chick. Before I met Kowalski. Kowalski, you remember what I said happened to my mother?"

"Yes," said Kowalski "You said that she was taken to a zoo, but you escaped."

"Yes well," Skipper said "I lied."

All of them gasped, even Marlene.

"She was murdered. My Father killed her. He was an emperor penguin, and my Mother was a rock hopper. I'm half of each. He had these attacks from some depression that happened a long time to him, he had just gotten through giving me "the talk" and had told me every detail, even though he shouldn't have. Something awful happened to him when he was young and he sometimes would go completely insane and take it out on us. He killed her. He then turned to me and as I sat there, a leopard seal hopped out of the water and grabbed him and drug him in the water. That's when Kowalski found me.

All these years later, I heard from Alice that a new penguin was coming. I looked on the computer and saw a picture of the penguin. It was my Father. He was cut up from the leopard seal but some how survived. I didn't want him to come here, because before he sunk in the ice, he shouted that he'd find me and kill me."

Skipper paused and wiped his eyes.

"I blamed him for the murder of my Mother even though it was whatever happened to him that caused it. I was enraged and frightened because I thought he would kill us. So I went out and found and I- I- uh…"

"You killed him!" exclaimed Kowalski

Skipper was crying now. He nodded.

"He fought back. He kept shouting that he would kill me and he was winning, but I knocked him down a manhole by accident and when I got to him, he was dead. His neck broken."

Marlene gasped in horror. Her lover had murdered his father! Skipper was weeping, he was in shambles. Marlene ran. She was horrified. Skipper, a murderer?! She was back in her habitat within a few minutes. She was frightened and confused. How could Skipper was so sweet and loving, how could he do that, to his own father! She felt that her eyes were wet. Skipper was a good person and good people were clean and pure! Weren't they?

She had always been taught that murderers went to… she gulped… hell. She clutched her breast. Her heart was about to burst out. She felt like she was having a heart attack. She was so shocked. Skipper had murdered his own father! It just didn't sound right at all! He had said that he was knocked into the sewers and broke his neck. Skipper had been beaten so hard, limping, his eye bandaged, his body cut up, but the real horror struck her afterward. She gasped for air. It was something that she never thought would happen to her and Skipper. Should she break up with Skipper?!!!!


	3. Chapter 3

I send thanks to one of my reviewers for their review and telling me about the murder circumstances. Now here's the next chapter.

THE SECRET

CHAPTER THREE

Marlene found a law book outside the zoo and began studying law. Technically what Skipper did was justifiable homicide. But then again, she couldn't stop thinking that Skipper had done something horrible. She wanted to feel that it was excusable, but she just couldn't make herself feel that way. She wondered what Skipper would say if she told him that she knew. She had an idea. He'd probably freak out and do something that he'd regret. He'd had an awful time trying to tell the team and she wondered if he'd lie. They had PROMISED each other that they'd ALWAYS tell the truth to each other. She hadn't broken this promise and planned not to but would Skipper?

She thought it was very possible. She decided to go visit and act surprised at what had happened to him. She entered through the fishbowl and saw that the penguins were all asleep. As she crept closer to Skipper, she couldn't help feeling a little afraid. What if the murder had ravaged his mind and he went crazy?! _STOP IT!!!!_ She commanded herself. _Skipper would never kill to gain_ _something. Would he?_ Doubt kept a great hold on her. She looked at how he was lying in his bunk. Very stiff and rigid. He suddenly began to mutter.

"No don't," he said softly. She leaned closer to hear better. "You can't!"

He was twitching and rolling about.

"You can't do this!" he muttered "You'll never get away with it!"

At first she thought he was dreaming about the team but he said something that changed her mind.

"DAD NO!!!!" he shouted

The other penguins woke up.

"Marlene," said Private "What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Skipper," she said, ready to lie. "WOW! What happened to him?!"

"That's classified." Kowalski stated.

She couldn't help putting her hands on her hips and look skeptical.

"Kowalski," she said "Really?"

Suddenly Skipper screamed in his sleep. He was yelling something that they soon realized was a cry for help.

"MMMMMOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!" he shouted and woke up.

"Marlene?" he said groggily. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, it's your birthday isn't it?" she said with false cheerfulness and began singing the happy birthday song.

The other penguins chimed in. Skipper didn't look happy though.

"Marlene?" he asked again "Why are you up so early?"

"I got up early for your birthday." she said

She wasn't lying. But Skipper seemed to think so.

"So," he said suspiciously. "Ready to go."

"Yea."

"Then let's."

Skipper stood up and stretched his beaten body. He limped to her side and kissed her quickly. Then took her hand and guided her out. _Here we go. _Marlene thought as they moved toward the zoo gate.


	4. Chapter 4

THE SECRET

CHAPTER FOUR

They were just about to leave the zoo gates when Kowalski called Skipper back. Marlene listened in.

"What did you do with your father's body?" Kowalski asked

"I have actually, haven't- buried the body…" Skipper whispered

"What?!"

"I was going to bury it on mine and Marlene's date."

"Where did you put it?"

"Outside the zoo, I plan to have Marlene go find a movie listing." Skipper replied

"So that's it," Marlene muttered to herself "I'll trick him in to thinking that I left."

"Get me a shovel Rico." Skipper said

Rico vomited a shovel and Skipper caught it in midair.

She stood where she was last as Skipper returned. They left the zoo and Skipper did exactly what he said he was going to.

"Would go look at the movie listings and find a movie for us to see?" Skipper asked, kissing Marlene

"Sure." she replied and kissed back. She turned the corner and waited for Skipper to feel safe. He walked down a nearby alley and when he returned, he was dragging a body. The body was his father but it was hard to see the resemblance. There was a scar about his head and was cut up like Private. She followed at a safe distance.

He entered the park quickly and began digging. Marlene noted that Skipper's dad looked like the kind of person that would kill someone. Skipper finally dug a deep enough hole and dropped the body in. He buried and took a rock and engraved something on it.

"Well Dad," he said, folding his flippers. "You killed my Mom, you beat me most of my life and emotionally scared me. You may have tortured me all my life but you taught me something, you taught me how to defend myself."

He shed only one tear.

"You were the worst father ever and you tried to kill me, but you respected me. That is the only thing I could thank you for. You never gave me any love; you never even pretended to be happy about me. You respected my ability to fight and you paid for it and so did I. You brought this upon yourself. I'm sorry, I gave you chance to live and you kicked me in the face.

You've treated me like dirt ever since I was born. You murdered two of my other family members. I've been taught that right now, you are going to rot in hell. You should be proud of me. But you're not. Goodbye."

He walked away. Marlene approached the rock that Skipper had placed on the grave and looked at it.

R.I.P.

SKIPPER SENIOR

1990- 2009

GOD FORGIVE HIM

She had always wondered where his name came from. He'd never explained where it came from. Skipper had had a horrible father. But did that justify killing him? Yea it was in defense, but still. She left the park to find the listing for here date with a murderer. Perhaps and good murderer.


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks for the great reviews, here's the next chapter.

THE SECRET

CHAPTER FIVE

Marlene quickly checked the movie listings and came back. Skipper was just arriving. _Wonder what took him so to get here?_ She thought. _Maybe there's more to this. _She quickly gave him the reviews.

"Most are what Rico would want to watch," Skipper said thoughtfully. "Full of violence. Well, why don't we skip the movie and go for a walk?"

"Sure." she said

They held appendages as they walked through central park.

"So, who did you get those scratches?" Marlene asked

She wasn't really looking for answer, but trying to act natural.

"What about them." Skipper asked to her surprise.

"Just, you know, wondering." she said casually trying to mask her shock.

He was acting strangely. That was as plain as his beak.

"I had a fight." Skipper said in a mild-mannered tone.

"Oh, um, with who?" she asked

_Why is he doing this?_ She thought.

"Oh, no one," he replied in the same tone. "Someone who deserved it."

"What?!" she said

She couldn't help it. She never thought he'd say that.

"How could you say that about your father?!" she asked and then realized what she had done.

"So," Skipper said, dropping her hand and turning to face her. "You did eavesdrop on me."

"No! Um- why?"

"Marlene please," he said, putting his flippers on his hips. "You aren't a good liar either."

"Okay, hold up! Can you read my thoughts or something?" she asked

"Well for one thing, next time you eavesdrop, try not to stand in my blood, and smear it around."

She looked down at her feet and saw the dried blood on her fur.

"Oh," she said "Right."

"And everyone knows I'm a bad liar, same for you too," he said "Now. Here's the big question. Do you fell comfortable dating a murderer?"

Marlene stood there, shocked.

"Well I- uh don't know exactly." she stammered

"Look," he said "Even though my Father was probably the worst man alive, he-…"

"I know about that stuff," she interrupted, embarrassed. "I eavesdropped on you when you were burying him."

"Wow," Skipper said "Good work! I didn't hear you at all! But um- back to the point. I only said that he deserved it to trip you up. God didn't put me on this earth to decide weather people deserve to live or die."

"But how could you** kill** him?" she asked

"I was protecting the team," said Skipper "And us."

"What?"

"Marlene, if my Father knew we were dating, he'd have torn off my head. My Father's first words to me were: "I hope you go to hell", he tried to drown me when I was first born. He nearly broke both my legs when I was one year old. He did everything to make my life horrible."

Marlene was taken aback by all this. Skipper had so many secrets that she didn't know about.

"But aside from all these awful thinks he did to you, how can that justify killing him?"

"You forget, I said he accidentally fell down the manhole. I didn't throw him in."

"How exactly did you do that then?" she asked

"Well, I told him that I would back off and leave if he left the zoo and never came back, but he threw me on the ground and kicked me in the face as you can tell by my eye. I jumped up and kicked him, and he fell back in the manhole." Skipper said

"Did he say anything?"

"Yes but I don't think you want to hear it."

"What did he say?"

"Well he said that he was going to rip my head off, tear out my guts and throw me in hell where I'd rot forever."

"Eww."

"Yea. You know. He never once said he loved me or was even fond of me."

"Well, let's enjoy the rest of this date. I need to think this over later," she said with a sigh. "But Skipper?"

"Yea?"

"I'm sorry all that happened to you." she said kissing his beak.

"It wasn't your fault," he said kissing back "Besides, it's been made up for with the greatest person, I've ever known."

"Skipper!" she said, blushing.

"Shall we continue the walk?"

"Sure."


	6. Chapter 6

THE SECRET

CHAPTER SIX

Marlene began thinking as she lay in her bed. Rain was pouring down outside. She was trying to decide her feelings for Skipper. He had murdered his father in justifiable homicide. He had broken his father's neck and buried his body in the park. It still didn't feel right. She still couldn't help doubting Skipper even though he had done it for the benefit of others. Why did it feel wrong?

Saying that your boyfriend, perhaps future husband killed his father. She went over all that Skipper said in her head a million times but she couldn't twist it to sound right. No matter how much she wanted to. Skipper was a killer no matter what the circumstances were. Just like in a war. You killed someone for the benefit of your country but you still murdered him. That didn't change. No matter how you tried to justify your actions, that still stays the same.

The blood was still on your hands. Some say that if you didn't save someone from death by another when you could, then the blood was still yours. The same rule applied. It hurt to say that Skipper had killed a man, even a horrible man. Even it was the damnedest creature on the face of the planet, the death was still there. Could this thing be forgiven? She decided to go to Skipper and talk. She grabbed an umbrella and headed out in the rain. Skipper had told Marlene that he was catholic. Maybe she could have him confess to at least god if not a priest or follower of god. She got to the penguin habitat and dropped in.

Kowalski, Private, and Rico were sitting on the floor, watching a horror movie. Kowalski kept Private's eyes covered for every killing scene there was. It was ironic.

"Where's Skipper?" she asked

"He went for a walk in the park." Kowalski said

"In the rain?" she asked

"Yes."

"Strange." she said and left.

She reached the park and began walking around, trying to find Skipper. She searched for an hour and was about to give up when she saw Skipper sitting near his father's grave. The rain made it hard to tell that Skipper was crying but she saw the redness of his eyes. He was looking at the grave marker that he had put down. He was speaking.

"Dear heavenly father, may you have mercy on this man that I have murdered. May he be up there in heaven with you right now. Regardless of what he has done. I'd rather you forgive him than take me to heaven."

It was then that she saw the carving. Skipper had made a small sculpture of his father and placed it behind the grave stone. The rain had softened and was now drizzling. The carving was dry now but Skipper stayed wet even though the sun was coming through the clouds.

"He was the worst person I ever knew. He may have deserved what he got but the thing was, his neck wasn't broken. He suffered from heart attacks his whole life and I hugged him and said I loved him and that was enough a jolt that he had a heart attack. He died in my embrace. He'd never heard me say that once since I was born because I want to be loved back. My love, killed him."

And as Marlene watched this unfold before her, a small drop of water, fell from the eye of the sculpture.


	7. Chapter 7

THE SECRET

CHAPTER SEVEN

The small sculpture sat dry but a tear rolled down its face. Skipper took something out Marlene had never seen before. A small heart on a chain. He opened it and inside each halve of the heart was a female penguin and then Skipper's Father. That was his Mother Marlene realized. Skipper placed the small chain around the sculpture's neck and stood.

"Dad. You've haunted me every night since I killed you. Every time I get near enough to Marlene to kiss her, you make my body break out in pain. You live in my dreams and curse me. You cause me to be restless and angry. Well I've given you this back now I want you to give me something back. My life. The only thing you ever gave me was hate. Well here's another chance. I've given you so many and you kicked me back. The last time I gave you this chance, you had a heart attack. Don't ruin this one. Either go to heaven or hell. The main thing is die. And leave me and Marlene alone."

Another tear seem to fall from the sculpture's eye. Skipper walked away and Marlene was left with her thoughts. She had judged Skipper wrong. He made it out that he had killed his father to save them but he was really there to save his Father… and his Father even with his son's love had refused. No he hadn't died on purpose but his mind was frozen with the thought of making Skipper's whole life a living hell. Marlene approached the sculpture and knelt in front of it.

"I know what you have done to Skipper," she said "Now you died because you rejected your own child. Now for once in your life, leave your son alone because hell's already on its way. I know now that Skipper isn't going to hell. He's going to go to heaven. He gave you another chance and that was better than any good I've ever seen. Even though he's still breathing, you killed something in Skipper and brought it down with you. But something also came to life.

Every time I get close enough to kiss Skipper I feel the same way as he does. Now that's gone. You destroyed it here and now. It might be the only thing that would save you from hell. Goodbye."

She left. That was the last time she ever saw the sculpture. Skipper wanted them to visit from time to time but she made it forbidden. Skipper never saw the sculpture again either. Marlene forgave Skipper because she knew that he had not committed a murder. Skipper's Father had committed suicide. Not physically but mentally. He was so in touch with his hate for Skipper that he could not and would not cope with Skipper's love. This was what killed him. Nothing of his body was harmed.

Marlene knew that Skipper was blessed and that she to was blessed with such a friend. They told each other everything from then on and Skipper's Father truly did die… but part of him lived on in Skipper, the only good part there was and this was shared with Marlene and with their children and their children's children. No one forgot it, ever.


End file.
